Abstract
This study aimed to examine differences in gender, age, and psychopathology, according to the perfectionism level, and to analyze how perfectionism dimensions contribute to the development of psychological strengths and difficulties in children. Participants were 319 Spanish students (52.4% girls) between 7 and 11 years old (M = 9.38, SD = 1.15). Children completed self-reported measures of perfectionism and psychological strengths and difficulties. The sample was divided into groups based on the perfectionism level (high, medium, and low). A one-way ANOVA (Analysis of variance), t-test, Pearson correlations, and 3-step hierarchical regression analyses were run. Results showed that 27.6% of the children belonged to the high perfectionism group, characterized by an elevated Socially Prescribed Perfectionism (SPP). Compared to girls, boys presented higher scores in all perfectionism measures. The younger children presented higher SPP and lower Self-oriented Perfectionism-Critical (SOP-Critical) than the older group. High perfectionism was related to psychological problems. The SOP-Critical increased the likelihood of developing emotional symptoms and total difficulties, and SPP was associated with behavioral and peer problems. In contrast, Self-oriented Perfectionism-Striving (SOP-Striving) was related to greater prosocial behavior. This research has important implications for the design of transdiagnostic strategies targeting the prevention and intervention of psychological difficulties in schoolchildren.
Highlights
Perfectionism is a personality trait characterized by the search for faultlessness and the establishment of very high levels of performance along with excessively critical self-evaluations [1,2,3].This integrative definition encompasses a set of very strict self-imposed demands about what individuals believe they should become [4,5]
A higher proportion of children in the high perfectionism were in the 11-year-old category, compared to the low perfectionism group (29.5% vs. 14.7%), and, were enrolled in the sixth school year category compared to the low perfectionism group (31.8% vs. 8.6%)
When the sample was divided into groups according to percentiles, about half of the children had a medium perfectionism level and more than a quarter belonged to the high perfectionism group
Summary
Perfectionism is a personality trait characterized by the search for faultlessness and the establishment of very high levels of performance along with excessively critical self-evaluations [1,2,3]. This integrative definition encompasses a set of very strict self-imposed demands about what individuals believe they should become [4,5]. Other definitions have noted that perfectionism is a multi-dimensional concept composed of both intrapersonal and interpersonal traits [6]. Other studies underline that perfectionism is composed of two traits: perfectionistic strivings and perfectionistic concerns [8,9,10]. Perfectionistic strivings have been suggested to be related to adaptive outcomes, such as positive affect, motivational orientations, hopes of success, etc., but perfectionistic concerns have been associated with maladaptive outcomes [8,9,10,11]
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